Personalization of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) Services in Next-Generation Networks (NGN) Architectures

Eugen Mikczy Sebastian Schumann Pavol Podhradsk

FEI, Slovak University of Technology FEI, Slovak University of Technology FEI, Slovak University of Technology Ilkoviova 3 Ilkoviova 3 Ilkoviova 3 Bratislava, Slovakia Bratislava, Slovakia Bratislava, Slovakia

mikoczy@ktl.elf.stuba.sk

schumann@ktl.elf.stuba.sk

podhrad@ktl.elf.stuba.sk

ABSTRACT This paper evaluates the existing NGN based IPTV architecture and services in the context of IPTV service personalization within multi-user environment at home network and user equipment. Advanced scenarios of IPTV for providing fully personalized and interactive IPTV services using existing and new mechanisms in Converged NGN based IPTV architectures are proposed within this paper. The services can improve the quality of experience (QoE) and user expectation via new personalized IPTV service behavior. Categories and Subject Descriptors C.2.1 [COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS]: Network Architecture and Design - Distributed networks, Network communications, Network topology General Terms Design, Experimentation, Security, Human Factors. Keywords NGN, IPTV, personalization, convergence, multimedia

2. EXISTING NGN BASED IPTV ARCHITECTURES IN THE CONTEXT OF PERSONALIZATION

The IPTV service personalization consists of several phases during service delivery to a specified user in a personalized way: 1. User Equipment (UE) start up and user login 2. Service subscription and activation 3. Service discovery and service selection 4. Service initiation and service behavior control 5. Services configuration and profile self configuration 6. Converged identity management and service access 7. Targeting user preferences, recommending services 8. Service and media delivery, personalized content presentation 9. User profiling with service history, collecting service presence information 10. Support for personalized IPTV services content recommendation, personal channels, content bookmarks, user generated content, etc. All mentioned aspects follow technical requirements that have to be fulfilled when service providers want to provide fully personalized services.

1. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays most of the IPTV services are delivered in a not personalized manner, i.e., one end device like a set-top-box (STB) is represented by one subscriber. Such a coupling of the user with the device limits the personalization and targeting of the exact user behind the device (e.g., several members of a family use the same TV set with STB; there is no identification of the actual person behind the remote control). Therefore, this paper analyzes several aspects related to personalization and single user identification, profiling and targeting. The personalization requires from the system a full understanding of the context among the device, user, service and content. This can be achieved only if the system can identify its users, the actual expectations of their next actions (based on previous actions and user preferences set by the user or collected by profiling in the system) and can provide fully adapted user interface presentation, service behavior, correct content recommendation, search and content presentation.

2.1 NGN integrated IPTV architecture

The NGN integrated IPTV subsystem (see [1]) provides basic integration of existing IPTV functions (e.g., also from non-NGN architecture) to the NGN architecture and other NGN subsystems, especially with the integration of a User Profile Server Function (UPSF) and transport control using Resource Admission Control Subsystem (RACS) and Network Attachment Subsystem (NASS). A user can access the service description with his UE (e.g., STB) via the Service Discovery and Selection Function (SD&S) that follows DVB-IPI specifications and uses the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or DVB SD&S Transport Protocol (DVBSTP) over the Tr reference point with limited personalization. The same Tr interface can be used by the UE to access the user interface and service selection over Customer Facing IPTV Application (CFIA). The CFIA provides an HTTP based interface

over the Tr reference point for IPTV service provisioning, selection and authorization (with HTTP digest) and also the possibility to identify a user and adapt the user interface or presented services. UE can also access common services in NGN via interactions with NGN applications.

Tr Tr Tr
3. Service selection

Legenda: Converged NGN based IPTV model

Ss

SIP/SDP UDP/RTP Diameter RTSP

SD&S

User & service data

ICAF UPSF
ISC Ss Sh
5. Service control

HTTP IGMP/MLD DVBSTP or FLUTE Not defined

2.2 NGN IMS based IPTV architecture

The second type of NGN based IPTV architecture has replaced the IPTV control with an IMS based subsystem (see [2]) and introduced session based IPTV service control based on the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). The IMS based IPTV has the advantage that IMS concepts may be adapted (see [3]). An IMS user has one or more Public User Identities (IMPU) allocated. An IMPU is either a SIP Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) or a tel URI. Each IMS subscriber has assigned at least one Private User Identity (IMPI). IMPIs have the format of a NAI (Network Access Identifier). The IMPI is linked to the user profile; hence it is the key component for a users personalized access to services. The service discovery is performed by a special SIP application server: The Service Discovery Function (SDF). The SDF provides information about the Service Selection Function (SSF). The SSF contains necessary service information (e.g., TV program guides) for initiating IPTV services and can be fully personalized based on the IMPI and the user profile (SSF has an interface to UPSF). The Service Control Function (SCF) is responsible to serve SIP based service initiation requests from UE delivered over the Gm interface via IMS core for any IPTV services. The IMS based IPTV system has various advantages, as the IMS acts as unified service control subsystem for all NGN services instead of establishing an additional specialized subsystem (as for an NGN integrated IPTV subsystem). Additionally, the IMS can more naturally support mobility, interaction with NGN service enablers (like messaging or presence), service personalization or quadruple play services (voice, data, video and mobile), as in [4]. The user profile can be used to store the users service profile, action data, preferences, personalized content bookmarks and its service history. These and other user data provide enough information for user profiling. The identification of content and structured metadata is necessary to establish the context between user and the content (e.g., using MPEG-7, MPEG-21, see [5]).

2. Service Discovery

Sh Gm

ISCF IMS
ISC Sa

6. Selection and control of MCF

4. Service attachment& Authorization 1. Service initiation

IMCF
7. User controls of media streams

Xp

7. Control of MDF

UE

Ct2 Di

Xc Xd

ECF/EFF
Transport processing functions 8. Delivery of media streams to UE

IMDF

Figure 1. Converged NGN based IPTV protocol model with FE relation (details in [6]) Initially, the UE is required to start or boot and perform the network attachment to obtain network parameters. 1. After the network attachment the UE is required to start the service initiation steps, including identification and authentication (zero sign on or single sign on mechanism) of the user behind the UE (multiple users supported). 2. The UE shall perform service discovery (from multiple service providers) in order to enable SD&S procedure with default service provider. 3. The UE shall perform the service selection procedures with SD&S using HTTP over Tr to receive personalized service selection information with content metadata, recommendations and user bookmarks. 4. The UE needs to acquire and use collected service selection information and personalized user data to establish an appropriate attachment to the selected service via IPTV-Converged Application Functions (ICAF) (step 5). With each service/content request, the present user has to be identified (user using remote control could change). The identification of the user can be done using its presence state (e.g., user mobile with RFID near to TV set or attached to home femtocell in room) or user action when the user in front of the TV set changes (e.g., family or individual members of family through indication using the remote control). 5. The ICAF can control service behavior via the IPTV Service Control Function (ISCF), whereas both the initiation via Gm/SIP and Ct2/HTTP may be supported. The ISCF is also able to initiate the resource reservation and allocation process for the network resources needed by the IPTV service according to the capabilities of the UE and access network (using standardized transport control functions of NGN RACS available). The ISCF is responsible for personalization of service behavior, performs user profiling (together with other entities and store data to UPSF) and indicates user preferences for the next action. 6. - 8. Following a successful session initiation, the ISCF informs about identification of selected multimedia content to initiate its delivery. The UE may interactively control the media stream. Details of media handling can be found in [6].

3. PERSONALIZATION OF IPTV SERVICES IN CONVERGED NGN BASED IPTV

One advantage of converged NGN based IPTV (see [6]) is the possible interconnection of both existing concepts with external systems like Web 2.0 internet services, multiple content sources and distribution networks (CDN, hybrid networks). The converged NGN based IPTV can aggregate user profile information and preferences from external applications and combinational and hybrid services are now supported.

3.1 Converged NGN based IPTV architecture and integrated mechanisms for personalization
Fig. 1 shows proposed high level procedures for the Converged NGN based IPTV architecture including used protocols.

3.2 Personalizing IPTV services behavior using presence and user profiling
Basic IPTV services and their implementation within the NGN framework can be used for personalization and the presence framework for updating the presence state and profiling: Broadcast TV - delivery of linearly broadcasted/multicasted TV channels. Limited possibility to personalized content but presence and profiling of user actions can help understand user preferences. Content on Demand (CoD) - users request content on demand. Pay Per View (PPV) - users pay only for particular show, not whole TV channel or package. Presence could trigger PPV usage. Personal Video Recording (PVR) - users can record content in network or locally in STB. Presence and user preference could be used for decision, where the content is (e.g., if UE is offline, only network-PVR is used). Basic services usually use presence to observe the actual state of the service (e.g., current channel, state of VoD). A more advanced concept is required for combinational and personalized services, where IPTV is combined with interaction, profiling and targeting. A hierarchical presence model can be used to aggregate information not only by UE updates but also directly from IPTV functional elements (its internal state, service state or service action data). The appropriate utilization of the concept of web based presence aggregation and relevant correlations of data can allow a combination of presence with IPTV services and enhance the user experience (see [7]). Examples are combinational services, where IPTV services are combined with presence to improve the user experience due to enhanced interaction, profiling, personalization or targeting. Advanced IPTV services require a more complex presence state model and correlation of presence states with user preference to finally affect service behavior: Interactive TV - service providing interactivity between provider and end user or between several users. Presence helps to identify currently available users and profile information to suggest types and scenarios for interaction. Interactive applications may be provided also by external sources (e.g., Web 2.0). User Generated Content (UGC) - content produced by the end user with the intention to share it with other. Distribution of UGC makes sense only to the available (online) party that is willing to receive content (user can set presence to busy to avoid any push services like UGC). Publicly available UGC can contain much more assets as normal CoD offers, especially if made available on the Internet. It is therefore important to know user preferences and optimize search/presentation of content. Content Recommendation - service advisory for favorite shows based on users preferences and previous behavior. Here presence and profiling is crucial to define the right recommendation hints. If the system fails in identifying the correct content/service proposal for the exact user in the right time, it will dismiss correct recommendations, which will be in contradiction with user expectations and real preferences. Content bookmarks the user stores in profile markers to content and time (e.g., to directly access favorite scene or goal in football match). Content bookmark can be used to park a show; it can be picked up on other device based on user authentication.

Targeted advertising - advertising mechanism that is targeted to a specified group of users or individuals based on their profiles. Together with user profiling and presence, the operator (or third party advertiser) can identify user interests and target type/form/place of advertising. Personalized channel - user specific list of programs that are scheduled as play list for personalized preview. IPTV and NGN service interaction (e.g., presence based games, incoming call notification, messaging) has to be addressed as well as it is individual communication not to be shared with other users on the same device.

3.3 Application in NGNlab for Converged NGN based IPTV (non IMS & IMS IPTV)
The NGNlab is a testbed that contains all necessary functions to demonstrate a possible NGN and IPTV interaction within a proof of concept setup for Converged NGN based IPTV. The existing SIP IPTV AS (extended UCT IPTV advanced server) and its respective clients (extended UCT IMS client) have been extended with the required SIP components (i.e., converged UE, SIP registrar/proxies for SIP non-NGN, IMS S-CSCF and ISCF for IMS based IPTV) and the interaction ASF towards non-IMS IPTV platform. Fig. 2 shows that actions on the side of user A imply actions in both, user B SIP UE and user B IPTV UE/STB.
ICAF Converged or IMS IPTV UE/STB user B Media Servers/ CDN Non-IMS IPTV UE/STB user C

SIP/IMS non-IPTV UE of user A

SIP Proxy/ IMS SCSCF + ISCF

SIP HTTP/XML

Interaction ASF SIP2XML (ISCF)

Non-IMS IPTV AS

Figure 2. Converged NGN based IPTV test platform for IPTV interaction The SIP UEs are normal clients that register with the SIP registrar, IMS core or IPTV service control (over 3rd party registration). If user A wants to interact with user B (e.g., send message or chat), it is required to send all SIP messages through the SIP/IMS proxy. The testbed uses SIP INVITE messages for session initiation and SIP MESSAGE for text interaction (user to user or server to user interaction). As the SIP proxies are always in the middle of the user interaction, it was the obvious point to connect to the mapping ASF (when user or system wants to interact with nonIMS IPTV clients). The SIP proxy (ISCF) will fork SIP requests via the ISC interface to the interaction ASF that can transform SIP to HTTP/XML messages. They can then be forwarded to non-IMS IPTV UE. The ISCF is responsible for personalization (user authorization, profiling, targeting) and service control. It also selects the correct media server (we used VLC) for content delivery to the converged UE (user B) or non-IMS UE (user C). The platform can provide all basic services and selected advanced services described in the previous section.

3.4 Extended mechanisms for personalization by IPTV user data, presence and profiling
The profiling and personalization capability that enables personalization of IPTV services based on user preferences and the user profile is mandatory to enhance user experience and to differentiate from usual non-NGN IPTV services. The provider can also use the information about the user behavior and content consumption to improve interaction with user and provide the targeted recommendation by using the users current presence state and service/content state, service history, user preferences and user content bookmarks, and red button initiation of recommendation or user indication of preference The service personalization and interaction function receives the user profile from the UPSF and uses it for retrieving service/user information and other data to personalize the IPTV service. Generally, in IPTV architecture can exist the hierarchical model of relations (as shown in Fig.3) between the internal service states of functional elements, the IPTV service state information and presence information and all this information can be used for user profiling and flexible IPTV service personalization [8]; the internal service state information can be aggregated in IPTV service state, and IPTV service state data can be used to update presence. IPTV presence may be related also to user action data (e.g. bookmarks) as well as used for updating the users service access history (for user profiling). User profile (presence state) could be updated from/to external application (including internet social community states and profiles).

5. CONCLUSION
The authors propose some advanced scenarios of IPTV services using existing and extended mechanisms for Converged NGN based IPTV architecture (some of them validated on testbed [9]) that provide fully personalized and interactive IPTV services across multiple devices and multiple users that can improve quality of experience and user expectation of new personalized IPTV service behavior.

6. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This paper also presents some of the results from participation on various research project at STU such a NGNlab project [9], Celtic Netlab, National research projects: AV 4/0019/07 Converged technologies for next generation of communication networks (NGN) or VEGA No. 1/0720/09.

7. REFERENCES
[1] Draft ETSI TS 183 064 V3.2.0 (2010-01),TISPAN;NGN integrated IPTV subsystem stage 3 specification [2] Draft ETSI TS 183 063 V3.3.0 (2009-12),TISPAN; IMSbased IPTV stage 3 specification [3] Mikoczy, E., Sivchenko, D., Xu, B., Moreno, J., IPTV services over IMS - Architecture and standardization, in IEEE Communication Magazine, Vol.47, No.5, May 2008, p. 128, ISSN: 0163-6804, 2008. [4] van Brandenburg, R., van Deventer, O., Karagiannis, G. , Schenk, M.: Towards Personalized TV for Concurrent Use: Unlocking the Potential of IMS-Based IPTV In: 3rd IEEE Workshop on Enabling the Future Service-Oriented Internet, at GLOBECOM 2009, Honolulu, USA. ISBN 978-1-42445626-0 [5] Simoes, J. Riede, C. Magedanz, T.: "New Interactive Experiences with IPTV Services Using an IMS Infrastructure" in: 6th IEEE Consumer Communications and Networking Conference CCNC 2009, USA, 2009. ISBN: 978-1-4244-2308-8

Figure 3. Service state model and user profile with presence used for IPTV service personalization [8]. The degree of personalization depends on the information disclosed by the user in its profile. Advanced IPTV services require mechanisms to personalize content and user interaction in all phases of IPTV service delivery (service attachment, service discovery and selection, services initiation/modification/teardown and last but not least for any service interaction). ISCF can adapt the service logic and signaling routing based on user profile and personalization profile.

[6] Mikoczy,E., Kadlic,R., Podhradsky,P.: Concept for Mobility and Interconnections Aspects in Converged NGNBased IPTV Architecture, International Journal of Digital Multimedia Broadcasting, vol. 2009, Article ID 451897, 10 pages, 2009. [7] Schumann, S., Mikoczy, E., Podhradsky. P., Muruchi, F., Maruschke, M.: Presence management and merging presence information for NGN services, 2nd Joint IFIP Wireless and Mobile Networking Conference (WMNC) 2009, 9.-11. September 2009, Gdansk, Poland [8] Snchez D.D., Almenrez F., Marn A., Mikoczy E., Weik P., Magedanz T.: An Identity Management Infrastructure for Secure Personalized IPTV Services, In ONIT 2010 Workshop at TRIDENTCOM 2010, May 18th, 2010, Berlin, Germany [9] NGNlab NGN laboratory at Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, http://www.ngnlab.eu

4. FUTURE WORK
The NGNLab testbed includes also some other services like Elearning or web service that could be integrated with IPTV services. The testbeds focus is on providing new combinational services and hybrid services (e.g., IMS with DVB-x delivery). The unified user interface that improves user interaction and personalization via 3D interface (reusing virtual world platforms) or multi-screen approaches are other possibilities that can improve user experience.